On The Other Side. A TRUE STORY OF THE CIVIL. WAR IN AMERICA. BY ADMIRAL D. D. PORTER, U.S.N. [COPYRIGHTED 1889 BY THE AUTHOR.]

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 424, 30 November 1889, Page 3

On The Other Side. A TRUE STORY OF THE CIVIL. WAR IN AMERICA. BY ADMIRAL D. D. PORTER, U.S.N. [COPYRIGHTED 1889 BY THE AUTHOR.]

The most conspicuous. figure in. American history is a man who will go- down to posterity as having given all his energios for tho salvation of his country, and done all in hid power to elevate the ilag- to which he" had sworn allegiance. . Everyone will understand that wo allude . to' George Washington* the greatest patriot" 'that ever lived, whose memory is venerated in this country and held in the highest respect by every other civilised nation. With such a type of man befoie us as ono of the founders ot the Republic, there should be no want of disposition in the American boy to walk in the footsteps of so iilustriou& an example, and anyone born on the soil upon which so much blood and treasure have been poured out to uphold our institutions should look upon tho 'Stars and Stripes ' with the greatest possible reverence. The question presents itself, is the American boy as patriotic as he should be ? Uoe3 he lo\e his flag, and is he willing to risk his life and all ho -possesses that none of its stars are dimmed and . that its stripes remain untarnished ? ' AH this depends upon the manner in which the American youth is brought up by his. parents,' who should, like .the _m,otliei^ of Washington, instil into the hearts' of their childien the duty they owe to their country and the veneration ;,\hat is, due to their tlag> which should be next to the love they bear their parents. . Love of country and of the Hag should be one of the earliest lessons inculcated in youth. Patriotism is as much a part' of education as anything learned ab school. If a boy is not taught the history of hi* country and is not given to understand the gteat sacrifices that have been made for its advancement to it& presonb place of honour, then he may wander off into doubtful paths, where the sophistries of Anarchists will teach him that the flag of one's countiy is but an imaginary object, and that we can absolve ourselves from our aHegianco to it when it suits us so to do. And if a boy is imperfectly instructed in the duties he owes to lih country, when he becomes a man he is liable to follow in the train of Socialists or Anarchists who scorn the motto : ' Order is Heaven's first law.' - During ihe civil war I was witness to some beautiful instances of patriotism, both in officers and men, and one young officer so impressed me that 1 wrote a sketch of his lite, which, although short, was a glorious one. The eaily teaching ot hio mother had such an influence that when the South 1 seceded he refused to desert the flag, and gave up home and friends to stand by the banner ho was taught to venerate. This was Lieut. Edward Lea, Executive Officer of the United States steamer Hairiet Lane, on board which \essel I first saw him. The following brief narrative tolls the history of his life in the navy : — In the eaily part of the ci\il war the (government was much embarrassed "for want of vessels, and, among other officers, I had to wait till one could be prepared. Not to lose time, I proposed to take passage for Key West, where I was to assume command of che mortar flotilla. The Harriet Lane, under the command of Lieutenant J.Wain wright, was lying at the Washington Navy Yard, leady tor sea. Taking a travelling bag and a small trunk in the carriage, 1 made my way to the Navy Yard with my orders. The Harriot Lane wasa'st^am revenue cutter, comerted by the Navy Department into a vessel of war. Her cabin contained but one small state-room, which the cUptain*' naturally wanted tor himself. It never occurred to him to offer it to. me, though I his* commanding officer,- bi\fc h&fl jUjjmade tho offer I pcVtainly should have cje- ! clined it. Lieut'. Wainwright received pie ; at the gangway with a smiling face, and ! my trunk was passed on boaid. Although he knew he was to have a passenger, Waihwricht seemed surprised at the trunk. He perhaps thought a hand-bag would be all I should require. Looking doubtfully at the baggage, he said :•' I don't see how we shall be able to stow that in tho cabin, but I must contrive some way.' • Pub it in the fore-top and got under way at once,' I said. Wainwright looked astonished. 'I am not ready for sea,' he replied/ the" coal is nob all on board.' , 4 As to that,' I answered, 'I never saw a naval vessel that was ready for bea ; nevertheless we will get under way and procure coal at Norfolk or Port Royal;' * , 1 But I have not laid in the cabin stores.' •All right,' I said, ' the ship's stores are' good enough for me.' 4 Two of the officers and the cabin steward are away.' ♦ We'll leave them then,' 1 said. 'But,' continued Wainwrighb, 'our chronometer has not come on board.' 'Of course,' T said, 'chronometers are always slow. We will go without one, tru&ting to the three Is—l ead, log and lookout.' Wainwright was in despair, and evidently thought the Navy was going to the bad, sure enough, but he gave the order to the first lieutenant to light the fires. ' The fires are already lighted, sir,' said Lieutenant Lea, 'and steam will be up in twenty minutes.' I took an immediate fancy to the young man, for I liked his promptness. j By daylight nest morning wo anived at Cockpit Point, and found there five small

steam 'vessels of war! 1 each mounting several rifled guns, and forming part of the Potomac River flotilla of fourteen vessels under Lieut. R. H. Wyman. It had formerly been under Commander James H. Ward, who never permitted a Confederate battery to be erected on the Potomac. But now the Confederates had ' blocked our ' game ' and we were informed that we must wait eight days so as to have a daik night for passing what was supposed to be a powerful battery on the point. Just then a thick snowstorm came on, and one could hardly see a ship's length. "'" ' We will pass the batteries now,' I said ; 1 this is better than a dark night.' Directing the commanding officer of the flotilla to follow us and enfilade the batteries in case, they opened upon us, we proceeded. It was about 7 a.m. when we gob abreast of Cockpit Point. Tho snowstorm ceased and the weather became clear. 1 stood on the wheelhou&e with Captain Wainwnght and Lieutenant Lea* A puff of smoke came from tho bushes. ' Why, they have dared to fire on the Hag !' exclaimed theyo,un£ Southerner. „ J ust then a rilled shell sbruck bhe rim of the port wheel, cutting it in two, and the fragments were knocking the wheelhouse to pieces. i- I ' That was a slap in the face,' said the Lieutenant ; ' can't wo return the fire, sir ?' 4 No, my young friend,' l replied-; ' never tire at a battery when you are running it, tar you only throw away your shot. You will have firing enough before the war is over.' t • , Presently a shell passed through the smoke-stack and exploded just beyond. ' They have hit us again !' exclaimed Lea. ' The dasbardly villains ! — to fire on the Hag !' Three shells followed in quick succession, cutting away a stack stay, chipping oft a piece of rail and knocking out a hammock. •There, Mr Lea,' I said, •' they will trouble us no more, as we have passed their line of fire. It is useless to fire at gunsscattered among bushe3 and behind sand hills, not knowing their distance. From what I can learn, out of the many vessels that have run past Cockpit Point, that babtei'y has never yeb succeeded in sinking one.' I ** „->• Excuse me,sir, for my warmth,' said the young oflicer 'lam a Southern man and my. tamily have disowned me because 1 would hot join what they call the Confederate cause. My father says if he should ever meet me in battloho would shoot me like a dog. How can I help hating a cau&e that has taken all the love of my family from me V ' Yeb you do nob regret your action in sticking to your flag?' I inquired. ' No, indeed,' ho answered ; ' I would die before I would desert it, and do not desire the love of my family if I can only possess it by turning traitor to my country.' 4 I admire your sentiments, sir ; don't leo them depart from you.' Four miles below the battery we stopped to mend our wheel as best we could. I boolr parbicular nobice of Lea on our way to Key West, being much attracted by his patriotic sentiments and manly bearing. 1 knew many Southern officers who had failed to stand by their flag for want of moral courage, and from this young man's story I could &cc how much he had to contend with in bhe step he had taken. He ilidd never befdie keen a &hob fired in anger, and could nob restrain his indignation at bhe idea of Southern men severing their allegiance and even firing upon the flag under which they were born. 4 1 understand,' he said, ' how men can be excited to violence by demagogues, but I cannot conceive how American citizens, in cold blood, 'can fire at a vessel belonging bo bhe navy that ha 3 conferred &o much honour on bhe North and South. I think the river flotilla could have enfiladed Cockpit Point while we were passing and might have diverted the enemy's aim and saved our wheel.' Lieut. Lea served with me during the time I commanded the mortar flotilla, and his friends may well be pioud of him for his chivalric courage and loyalty to his flag. When taking leave of bhe officers of bhe flotilla, at bhe moubh of tho Mississippi, I bade good-bye to Lea, who was still execubive officer of bhe Hornet Lane. 4 1 shall never see you again,' he said, ' for 1 feel bhab I have bub a s>horb time bo stay here. I am nob sorry to go, for ib is dreadful to live with the hatred of tho&e whom you love and who once loved you. I hope to die in defence of the flag, and I want my Mends to know that I did my duty faithfully to my country. In case of my' death, &ir, will you see this done for mcV . I promised that I would do what he wished, but told him ib was foolish to indulge in such morbid feelings ; tliab when the war was over his family would welcome him home again and would ba proud of his recoid. 'No, no, sir,' he replied; 'you do nob know my people. Ido not wish to live to hear my parents curse me for doing what they taught me from childhood : " Be true to bhe Govern men b and to the flag ! " I never saw him again, for he was killed soon after on the deck of his vessel, defending the flag to bhe last, ({alveston had' been captured and Flag Oflicer Farragub sent bhere a small detachment of vessels, among them the Harriet Lane", under Commander Renshaw. The harbour of Calvestdn is a peculiar one, with several channels leading to it from the bar and a number of largo mud-flats, where the water is very shallow. t'enshaw's , .vessels lay in the various channels, .nob in supporting distance bo each other, ana, ' Ma^ruder, - , the Confederate 'General, determined to attempt their capture. He fitted out three Or, four river steamers, protected by cotton pales and filled with riflemen. The Hai riet Lane wa3 nearest tho town, and the sud,den attack found her not properly prepated for resistance. One of the Confederate steamers jammed under her guards and could not get away, nor could those on board the Harriet Lane bring a gun to bear on the enemy. In ten minutes the numerous marksmen on board the Confederate steamer cleared the decks of the Harriet Lane. Captain Wainw right was killed at the first fire and directly afterwards Lieut. Lea was mortally wounded. No one being left on deck to oppose them, the Confederates rushed on board and took possession of the steamer. They were led by a stalwart oflicer with a drawn, sword. Lieut. Lea was lying on deck apparently lifeless, his head supported by the cabin hteward. The Confederate officer demanded, ' Who is that officer ?' ' This is Mr Lea, our First Lieutenant,' replied the steward, 'and I think ho is dead.' The Confederate leader started back. 4 God in Heaven !' he exclaimed : ' poor boy, is there no hope ab all V Then he cried in agony, ' Speak to me, say you foigive us !' The young man opened his eyes at the sound of his father's voice. * I have nothing to forgive,' he eaid, ' but you have seen that I did my duty to the last, and died fighting for my country. Tell them all ab home I love them"' Soon afterwards ho expired. [ received an account of this heart-iend-ing scene from the man in whose arms the young officer died. , Lea's last request to bhe steward was that ho would tell me how he had died ab his post in defence of the flag. The steward related the ovents of the

massacre with sach emofcion that I -could hardly refrain from tears, though not usually given to the melting muod. Lieut. Commander Lea waa buried among hid people ; his shadow was no longer cast between them and the sun, and it is to be hoped that the rancour .which once dwelt in their hearts was buried in the gravo they made him under the mo3scoveied oaks of his birthplace. This sad occurrence was only one of many similar events of the civil war, but it was one in which I was immediately interested, and although I have missed many ' a brave fellow from my side, yet L think oflener of that young officer and his lofty aspirations and high sense' of- duty, who „was<shot down by his own people without a chance to defend himself. Now let the American boy love his flag a's did young Lea, who lost his life for his country. In the War of the Revolution the American flag waved in the battle and breeze over this broad continent against a ruthless 1 oppressor until freedom was assured to our land. Then the sails of our commerce, , whitenpd the ocean and the Star - Spangled Banner floated in- every clime, In 1812 our ships of war carried the flag with, success against the strongest naval power on earth and taught the i) Mistress of the Seas' that she would have a formidable rival in peace and war. In 18G4 our army and navy hoisted the flag, on the great fortress of San Juan de Ulloa, and it floated proudly over the 'Halls of the-Montezumas.' We all know how it was borne during the sanguinary contest in which the country was involved from 1861 to 1865. It came out of that conflict with stars undimmed, and those who carried it-into battle loved it as they never did before. Now that flag floats serenely, its stars brightly shine. And the ivy and bay with its rich folds entwine. For ages to conic it will gloriously wave O'er the laud of the tree and the home of the brave. Admiral David D. Porter, U.S. Navy.